


hard to breathe sometimes

by Marvellous



Category: It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-22
Updated: 2019-10-22
Packaged: 2020-12-28 03:02:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21129677
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marvellous/pseuds/Marvellous
Summary: “So you just left him, then? For that?”“What? No, not for real! He fell asleep while we were having sex, I had to get back at him somehow!” Dennis defended himself while leaning back on Dee’s couch, “It’s just a joke. You know, playful banter between two guys who just happen to be engaged.”





	hard to breathe sometimes

**Author's Note:**

> from an anonymous prompt submitted on tumblr
> 
> "Dennis goes too far on a prank/joke and makes Mac cry."
> 
> title from the song 'carry you' by ruelle

“So you just left him, then? For that?”

“What? No, not for real! He fell asleep while we were having sex, I had to get back at him somehow!” Dennis defended himself while leaning back on Dee’s couch, “It’s just a joke. You know, playful banter between two guys who just happen to be engaged.”

Dee glared at her twin brother, “You are so unbelievably stupid.”

Dennis scoffed at her.

“I should not care about this, because you two are both jerks, but I do think you need to think a little about what you’re doing here, Dennis.”

“What am I doing, exactly?”

“You left your ring that the one man who will probably ever actually love you got for you, because you wanted it, mind you, and you turned your phone off so he couldn’t reach you? And you’ve been gone for what? Hours now? All because he dozed off before you got to blow your load, which, who hasn’t that happened to, for the record. Do you not hear how this sounds?”

Having it spelt out from him from a different perspective made Dennis cringe. Maybe his genius payback idea was to be questioned in this instance after all.

“Yah,” Dee crossed her arms as she watched the realization dawn on his face, “Now, get out of my apartment.”  
_____

Dennis’ foot was a little heavy on the gas pedal on his way home. Admitting he made a mistake wasn’t something he wanted to do, and he really didn’t want Dee to be the one who enlightened him about it, but it was the unfortunate truth. His little burst of blind rage lead to something with consequences that had the potential to be devastating. 

Staying silent when he stepped into their apartment at a quarter after three in the afternoon, Dennis was met with an unfortunate sight of those exact consequences. The lights were all on, and the place was a mess...more so than when he had left that morning. The couch was askew and the coffee table on it’s side, some of their shelves on the ground with their contents littering the floor. Dennis winced.

“Oh...Mac,” Dennis breathed to himself as he bent over to pick up one of the shattered picture frames and returning it to its place of origin, freezing up when he heard noises from his bedroom.

He rolled his shoulders and prepared for the chew out of a lifetime, because, on the way home he just accepted the fact that he deserved it at this point. Mac would get mad, yell at him, maybe Dennis would yell back, it would resolve itself one way or another. It always did. Once he got to the doorway however, he realized the sounds were only gentle sniffs, like Mac was crying.

That drove it home. Mac didn’t cry. Not often anyways, and it wasn’t a good look on him. And it was Dennis’ fault, which meant he must be the worst person ever.

Mac didn’t even look up, curled up in himself when Dennis layed down on the bed beside him, “Hey, baby.”

Mac’s bloodshot eyes opened and he stared at Dennis, but he didn’t say anything as a few dry sobs heaved through his lungs. Clearly he’d been crying for some time.

“I thought I was just playing a trick on you, man. I didn’t think...I just didn’t think,” Dennis whispered as he moved closer, sincere, no ulterior motive, no second guessing, “I’m so sorry. I went too far. I didn’t mean to hurt you so bad.” 

Mac closed his eyes and some fresh tears tracked down his cheeks.

Dennis gently wiped them away with the hem of his long sleeve shirt. 

“I...look, don’t you want to yell at me?” Dennis asked hopefully, “Mac?” 

Mac ignored the question in favour of watching Dennis. His eyes were dull, but still the heartache he was feeling was obvious, and when he managed to speak, it was raw and weak, “I thought you left me again.” 

Dennis felt a sharp pain jolt through his body. This whole hurting the man he loved really was not a good flavour. “No, no,” he assured him, winding his arms around Mac’s body and holding him close, “I’m not- I won’t. I promise...I’m right here.”

Mac let his forehead fall into the crook of Dennis’ neck and surrendered. Not out of forgiveness, but simply because the pain was easier to manage with a shoulder to cry on.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks so much for reading! kudos/comments always much appreciated


End file.
